Keeping John In Our Minds And Our Hearts...

I hope you are all doing well. Here are a few things that will be happening in John's memory:

There will be a blood drive April 24th from 1-7pm at Saints John and Paul High School's Gym. This will be dedicated in John's memory. I will have a poster with his picture on it in the next couple of weeks and will add it to the blog.

There is a bocce tournament that will take place in May to raise money for the John Buskirk Memorial Scholarship at Saints John and Paul; this scholarship will help a needy student attend this school which is so special to John. I will have more info on a date and where the tournament will take place in the coming weeks.

The senior class at SJP will be dedicating their Baccalaureate Mass to John on June 4th and their Graduation Ceremony will take place later that night.

The Cleveland Marathon is right around the corner May 17th. If anyone is interested John's nurses are guest bar tending at The Blind Pig next Friday from 5-9pm all tips are donated to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Talk to you all soon.

John and the nurses from the clinic who loved him and Luke so much; John and Luke are the reasons they do what they do every day.

John cheering Jan on; it was the mile that was dedicated to Luke last year.

Continued Recognition for Coach Buzz...

John continues to be remembered and recognized for his accomplishments, teachings and the short life he lived with us.

Jess has been in contact with John's academic program director and they working on getting him his master's degree. She thinks it will be a honorary Master's degree since he was supposed to graduate in May.

Mr. Joe Pete from ESPN 970 radio in Ashtabula interviewed Coach Meyer recently and commented on his involvement with John. You can hear the complete interview by CLICKING HERE.

John was also nominated for the Sts. John & Paul Alumni Association Hall of Fame and has been accepted. There will be a banquet to induct the new class to the Hall on Saturday April 25, 2009 at Sts. John & Paul High School. Dinner tickets are $30.00 and you can contact the school at (440) 997-5531 to reserve your ticket if you want to attend.

Moe, one of John's favorite nurses, sent the following information about their "Team In Training" fundraiser:

It’s that time of year again! Come support your nurses! Please join the nurses in an effort to raise money for “Team in Training” which benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Several of the Nurses from Taussig will be guest bartending on: Friday March 6, 2009 from 5:00 pm-9:00 pm at the Blind Pig (1228 W 6th street, Cleveland, OH. 44113)

All tips made, will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Each participant must raise $1650. Please come and get a beverage from one of your favorite nurses and support a great cause!

Thank you for your support,
Amy Schofield
Carrie Jenkins
Stacey Booker
Moe Tarbuck
Eileen Walsh

Fundraiser This Weekend...

Hope you are all doing well. I have been keeping busy with many things that need taken care of. It is hard to believe that John is gone; it will be a month in the coming days. He touched so many lives it is truly amazing what he accomplished in 33 yrs let alone since he was diagnosed December 14, 2005.

I received a letter today informing me of John's induction into the Saints John and Paul Hall of Fame. I had actually found out the day John passed but was waiting to get the official word. He will be joining his mentor and friend Coach Urban Meyer in the Hall of Fame at our beloved high school along with many other great people. There will be a dinner in April for the official induction. I will keep you informed with more info on that.

On Sunday, February 8th, there will be a pasta dinner at the Assumption Church Parish Hall from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $6.00 or $4.00 for Seniors and children 3-12. Many thanks to Cheryl Woodward and Janis Brown, both Herald football player Moms, for coordinating this fundraiser. The event will include a 50/50 raffle and Chinese auction. Auction items were collected by SS. John and Paul parents and staff. Football players and coaches will serve the meals. CLICK HERE to see more information and the article about the fundraiser which appeared in the Star Beacon.

Our friends (John's nurses) will be doing a fundraiser for Team In Training to help raise the money needed to participate in the Cleveland Marathon on March 6th at The Blind Pig on West 6th in Cleveland. I'm not sure if I will be behind the bar with them yet or just there cheering them on. They did this last year and many of the Doctors and staff from Taussig Cancer Center (outpatient) and from the inpatient part of the hospital all came. If anyone is interested, I will have more info soon and a flyer with all the details that we will put up on the blog. It I'm sure will be a great time!!

I have added a sketch of John's headstone. It is still in the beginning stages I will be adding a wedding picture and a picture of John's beloved and faithful dogs. It will be a black stone and will be in sometime in spring.

Hope you are all doing well. Thank you all for the continued support, prayers, and comments. Talk to you all soon. Jess

Sketch of John's headstone...